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MIT UPOP

This robot was the main project for my Design and Manufacturing I (2.007) class and its purpose was to perform a specific task in a competition similar to that of a life-sized Operation game.
I first analyzed the game to determine what I believed was the most effective strategy; picking up all three ribs and placing them on the second level of a small shelf. I designed a vacuum-cleaner-inspired manipulation system that utilized bristles in order to grab the ribs easily without precision control.
Throughout my design process my goal was to have a project that was not only reliable and competitive but also look clean and professional. Due to the constraints on material as well as the availability of manufacturing tools, I also placed a lot of emphasis on design and ease of manufacturing and assembly.

Final CAD Rendering: The CAD was used to minimize manufacturing time and ensure that the system could be assembled properly.

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The final assembly of the robot was relatively straight-forward due to planning and designing that was already done in CAD.

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CAD rendering of the driving base of the robot

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The first articulation prototype demonstrated that the original system was very heavy and not capable of reaching the 2nd shelf.

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The original tray had difficulty obtaining the ribs due to the thickness of the sheet metal used.

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Modifications were made to the original tray prototype in order to grab and store the ribs better.

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The redesigned tray is thinner and lighter. It also features a secure way to hold the "bristles" that made it more effective.

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902 views

3 likes

Collaborators

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

The robot was an individual project and I designed, prototyped, and built the robot from the ground up.
Through this project, I was able to further develop my skills in mechanical design, especially in designing for manufacturing under material and time constraints. This was my first project that heavily involved and manufacturing with sheet metal.